Course sub-headings

Course overview

The Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology is the first clinical exercise course in Victoria to achieve accreditation with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). The course provides graduates with a simple pathway to accreditation as Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEP) and access to Provider Numbers with Medicare Australia, WorkSafe Victoria, DVA, TAC, and other compensable funds and schemes. Although the course only commenced in 2011, it is already achieving outstanding levels of teaching excellence, clinical supervision, learning outcomes and employment in the sector. The teaching team has expertise across all of the pathology areas needed for clinical exercise practice. The clinical practicum program covers all of the requirements for AEP accreditation and features the award winning Clinical Exercise Learning Centre at Burwood (Melbourne), where students develop their practice skills under close supervision and mentoring. Students then embark on a range of external clinical practicum experiences organised by the University, designed to optimise students’ exposure to a wide range of clientele, practitioners and institutions. Some of these placements lead directly to future employment. The course is an 18 month graduate-entry degree where you will develop your capacity to creatively and flexibly apply your knowledge and skills to new situations, and be able to think in a rigorous and independent manner.

The course aims to:

develop your knowledge and expertise in the application of exercise for both the prevention and treatment of many chronic medical conditions, injuries and disabilities;

enable you to understand the effects of acute and chronic exercise on physiological and pathophysiological processes in individuals with injury and disease;

link you to your industry through high quality clinical placements where you will develop as a practitioner of clinical exercise;

produce graduates who have the knowledge, skills and competencies to be eligible for AEP accreditation on graduation;

equip you with lifelong independent learning skills that will enable you to be the best practitioners possible now and in the future; and

produce graduates who demonstrate a commitment to maintaining high levels of personal and professional standards of practice

Professional recognition

The Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (H743) is the first AEP course in Victoria to be accredited by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Students are eligible to apply for accreditation as AEPs upon completion of the course, and are then eligible for Provider Numbers with Medicare Australia, WorkSafe Victoria, DVA, TAC, and other compensable funds and schemes.

Note: This course is currently accredited as at the date of publishing. The eligibility of students for membership of the accrediting body is subject to meeting the requirements of ESSA. Deakin University makes no representation that students will meet those requirements.

Career opportunities

Since 2006 AEPs have been formally recognised by the Federal Department of Health and Ageing into allied health to deliver Medicare-compensable exercise services for those with chronic conditions or complex care needs. This has increased the career opportunities for those with an AEP recognised qualification.

Graduates are likely to gain employment in medical hospital/clinic rehabilitation, occupational, community, or sports rehabilitation, or in case management through compensable schemes such as Medicare, Worksafe, or the TAC.

Work-Integrated Learning

This course provides you with the required knowledge and necessary skills, developed through theoretical and pre-clinical units to enable you to take full advantage of the three clinical placements on offer. The clinical placement program consists of a fully integrated internal and external placement system. The internal placements occur in the award winning Clinical Exercise Learning Centre (CELC), with supervision provided by expert AEPs. The external placements are in a wide variety of settings aligned to the scope of practice for clinical exercise physiologists and sometimes lead directly to future employment. All placements are organised by an academic staff member with responsibility for clinical placements, and will provide you with professional industry links, reinforce your understanding of the role of an AEP and give you extensive opportunities to gain practical knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable you to practise confidently in this field.

Entry requirements - general

Deakin University offers admission to postgraduate courses through a number of Admission categories. In all categories of admission, selection is based primarily on academic merit as indicated by an applicant's previous academic record. For more information on the Admission Criteria and Selection Policy visit The Guide.

Entry requirements - specific

To be considered for selection into the course, applicants must be eligible for FULL membership of ESSA (a necessary pre-requisite for AEP accreditation) and have completed 140 hours of exercise service delivery for apparently healthy clientele. The pathways for admittance into the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (H743) are:

Graduates of the Bachelor of Exercise & Sports Science (H343) at Deakin University after 2010: this course is accredited at the Exercise Science level by ESSA and is designed to provide direct entry into the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (H743);

Applicants who have previously completed an ESSA accredited undergraduate degree in Exercise Science at another university: go to ESSA to see the list of accredited universities;

Graduates of undergraduate degrees other than those above who can demonstrate that they have covered all or most of the elements required for full membership of ESSA; most undergraduate degrees in Exercise & Sports Science will cover this criterion; go to ESSA to download the application form for full membership of ESSA

ESSA Graduate Student Members are eligible for full membership of ESSA; go to ESSA to download the application form for ESSA Graduate Student Membership;

Current or past full member of ESSA.

For all five categories, applicants must have also completed 140 hours of exercise service delivery for apparently healthy clientele as this is required for AEP accreditation and is not provided within the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (H743).

Applicants must complete an application form available at the extra requirements link at Postgraduate coursework applications and submit this with their online application via the applicant portal.

How to apply

Applications must be made directly to the University through the Applicant Portal. Details of available courses and application closing dates can be found on the Apply webpage. Please note that closing dates may vary for individual courses.

Your course may require further information in support of your application. Please refer to the faculty information website for further details.

Income support

Domestic students enrolled in this postgraduate coursework program may be eligible for student income support through Youth Allowance and Austudy.